A
confirmed and convincing exponent of Stevenson, Sheena Nicholl
has performed four handed with the composer on the concert
platform as well as proselytising for his music on her own. There
are photographs of the two together, in repose and at the
keyboard, and also a rather delightful one of her in one
of the gorgeous rooms at Cesky Krumlov – let’s hope she played
some Stevenson to the Czechs.

The
piano works of which, I believe, A Carlyle Suite is
heard here in its premiere recording, are worthy of close
study even if not all are deadly serious. The Three Lyric
Pieces include Vox Stellarum, in which the composer
notes that it reflects a girl’s singing. It’s the earliest
piece here, written when Stevenson was nineteen. The Chorale
Prelude for Jean Sibelius is not untroubled. Though the
Chorale does eventually take wing, as it were, even now the
music is not clement; turbulence remains barely contained.

The Three
Nativity Pieces date from 1949. There’s a lumpy, wobbly
Children’s March (Gold) and something rather charmingly
French about the central piece, an arabesque for Frankincense.
Myrrh is an Elegiac Carol and it carries with it a lied-like
charge, the curve of which sounds almost Loewe-like - in
its reflective, brooding moments it even put me in mind
of his Der König auf dem Turme.
The Symphonic Elegy for Liszt is a much later and
much different work of course. It carries with it waves of
lament in its complex structure and span. Evoking Liszt’s
Sonata it also generates tremendous reserves of power – try
from 9:00 onwards - as well as significant moments of lyricism. A
Carlyle Suite opens with an Aubade, then evokes Jane
Welsh Carlyle listening to a recital of Chopin before a series
of variations on a theme by Frederick the Great. To balance
the opening two movements we end with a Scherzino and finally
a Serenade, or Evening Song. The Chopinesque moments have
a fine interlacing of the private and the exterior, both
reflective and nostalgic but also ebullient. Debussy haunts
the Impressionist Style of one of the variations.
Another, called Sketch for a new classicality, hearkens
back to the opening Baroque Theme.
Finally there are the beautifully textured Scottish Folk
Music Settings, of which we hear five, all written between
1959 and 1965. A Rosebud by my Early Walk rolls out
with especially evocative cadences but all are delightful.
That none overstays its welcome is due to Stevenson’s deft
handling of his material.

Fittingly sensitive and nuanced performances from Nicholl
grace this enjoyable, attractively recorded and well documented
recital.

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